The subject invention generally relates to a step assembly for access to a truck box or truck bed of a pick-up truck having a tailgate. More specifically, the invention relates to a tailgate step assembly for accessing the truck box or bed of the pick-up truck through the tailgate.
Pick up trucks usually include a tailgate which is normally about 30 inches above the ground when the tailgate is in the open horizontal position. The elevated level of the tailgate makes entry and exit into and out of the truck box difficult for most people. Thus there have been many proposals for providing easier access to the truck bed in the form of folding steps. Examples of such steps include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,191,388; 4,846,487; 4,848,821; 5,028,063; 5,205,603; 5,342,073; 5,687,813; 5,732,996; and 5,944,332.
The prior art folding steps provide a step which can be folded from a stowed position to a deployed position presenting a step enabling access to the pick up truck bed. However, such steps are not packaged in a manner which hides the step when in the stowed condition or will present a tripping hazard when the tailgate is opened and the step kept in the stowed condition.
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a stowable step which slides into and out of a housing enabling the step to be stowed and deployed.
It is desirable to provide a housing having a low profile to minimize any intrusion of the stowable step into the cargo volume of the pick up truck cargo bed.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a stowable step having a housing, a U-shaped step platform and a sliding member pivotally engaging the step platform. The sliding member is slidably mounted within the housing for reciprocating movement between a retracted stowed position wherein the platform extends into the housing and a deployed position wherein the platform can pivot relative to the sliding member to a substantially vertical position.